Bag



C. S. O'BRIEN Aug. 7, 1962 BAG 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 13; 1959 FIGI.

FIG. 2.

Aug. 7, 1962 c. s. OBRIEN 3,048,325

BAG

Filed April 15, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,048,325 BAG Charles S. OBrien, Palos Verdes Estates, Califl, assignor to Bemis Bro. Bag Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Apr. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 805,899 10 Claims. (Cl. 229-66) This invention relates to bags, and more particularly to a pasted valve bag provided with means for tearing the end closure of the bag at the valve corner to provide an opening for emptying the bag.

Products such as cement, pulverized limestone, powdered talc, fertilizer and various pulverized or granular products are frequently sold in pasted multiwall valve bags. It will be understood that such a bag is made of a plurality of plies of paper, such as kraft paper, and has pasted closures usually of the diamond-fold type at each end, with a valve at one corner of the bag for filling the bag. These bags may be of a type having flush-cut ends, i.e., ends in which the end edges of all the plies are in register, or of a type having stepped ends, i.e., ends in which the end edges of successive plies are stepped back one from another. Ordinarily, such bags are opened for emptying of the contents as by cutting a hole in the bag, or by attempting to rip open one of the pasted end closures. It is the object of this invention to provide such a bag with built-in means for ripping open the pasted end closure of the bag starting at the valve corner thereof to facilitate the emptying of the contents, with this means virtually foolproof in operation and economical to provide.

It will be understood that a pasted end closure of a bag of the class descriped comprises inwardly directed end flaps and first and second side flaps, the first side flap being folded over on the end flaps and the second side flap being folded over on the first side flap. A feature of this invention is that a tearing member, such as a rip cord, is secured to the inside of the first side flap extending lengthwise of the first side flap from one end thereof with one end of the tearing member accessible for grasping to pull it to rip through both side flaps. This tearing member is secured to a strip of paper or the like adapted to be ripped by the tearing member, this strip being secured to the inside of the first side flap. More particularly, this strip has a pleat extending lengthwise thereof, and the tearing member is located in the pleat. In a valve bag, the stated strip having the tearing member secured thereto is located at the valve corner of the bag, whereby the outer end thereof is accessible for grasping, and it functions as a reinforcement for this corner.

Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a bag tube prior to the formation of pasted end closures thereon;

FIG. 2 is a view of the upper end of the bag tube as it appears when opened up for the formation of a pasted closure at the upper end of the tube;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of a strip with a rip cord which is to be incorporated in the top pasted closure;

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing the application of the FIG. 3 strip to the tube, also showing the application of paste;

FIG. 5 is a view in elevation showing the completed top closure, also showing the completed bottom closure;

Patented Aug. 7, 1962 FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the valve corner of the bag as it appears when the bag is filled; and,

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawlngS.

Referring to the drawings, there is indicated at 1 in FIG. 1 a paper bag tube as it appears p or to the formation of pasted end closures thereon. The tube is a flat (ungusseted) tube, prepared in accordance with conventional bag manufacturing practice, having opposed walls 3 and 5 joined at integral folds 7 of the material which constitute the side edges of the tube. It will be understood that the tube will conventionally be made of a plurality of plies of paper, having the usual pasted longitudinal ply seams (not shown). As illustrated in FIG. 1, the edges of all the plies at the ends of the tube are flush with one another (the tube thus being a socalled flush-cut tube), but it will be understood that the tube may as well be one in which the ply edges are stepped in accordance with known practice to constitute a stepped-end tube. The flush-cut type of tube is shown to simplify the disclosure. Each wall of the tube has slits 9 at the ends. One wall (wall 3 as shown) has the usual notch 11 at one end and tab 13 at the other. The lines on which folding occurs in forming the pasted end closures appear as dot-dash lines in FIG. 1.

As appears in FIG. 2, the upper end closure for the tube 1 is formed by opening up the end of the tube and folding to form inwardly directed end flaps 15 and 17. This involves folding back of portion 19 of the wall 3 of the tube on a transverse fold line 20 extending from sideto-side of the tube and folding on 45 lines such as indicated at 21, 23, 25 and 27 defining the end flap. Lines 21 and 23 diverge from one end 29 of line 20 to the inner ends of the slits 9 at one corner, and lines 25- and 27 diverge from the other end 31 of line 20 to the inner ends of the slits 9 at the other corner, the material spreading open at the slits. Ultimately, the closure is completed by folding over a first side flap 33 (constituted by part of portion 19) on a first transverse fold line 35 to overlie the end flaps 15 and 17 and by folding over a second side flap 37 (constituted by part of wall 5) on a second transverse fold line 39 to overlie the first side flap 33. Line 35 extends across portion 19 of the wall 3 between line 20 and the end edge of portion 19 from line 21 to line 25, and the stated first side flap 33 is constituted by the portion of wall 3 which lies outward of (below as viewed in FIG. 2) line 35. Line 39 extends across wall 5 between line 20 and the end edge of wall 5 from line 23 to line 27, and the stated second side flap 37 is constituted by the portion of wall 5 which lies outward of (above as viewed in FIG. 2) line 39.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a strip of paper 41 which is folded so as to have a pleat 43 extending lengthwise thereof from one end to the other generally centrally of the length of the strip. This pleat is is a relatively narrow pleat, formed by a narrow re-entrant portion 45 of the strip integrally joined at pleat fold lines 47 and 49 to first and second panels 41a: and 41b of the strip. Extending lengthwise of the strip from one end thereof to the other between the re-entrant portion 45 and the overlying marginal portion of the first panel 41a is a tearing member 51 constituted by a textile cord (a cotton cord, for example). This tearing member or cord 51 is secured by adhesive as indicated at 53 generally throughout its length to the strip 41, the adhesive also functioning to secure the re-entrant portion 45 to the panel 41a. As shown, strip 41 has a length somewhat less than half the width of the tube 1 and a width (after pleating) somewhat greater than the width of the end closure which is to 3 be formed (i.e., somewht greater than the spacing of fold lines 35 and 39). The length of the strip is not critical; it may be more or less than half the width of the tube 1. Cord 51 may be a paper cord, a plastic cord or the like.

Prior to the folding over of the side flaps 33 and 37, the pleated strip 41 with the cord 51 in the pleat 43 is applied to the opened-up closure formation at the right thereof as illustrated in FIG. 4, overlying the right end fiap 17, and with the longitudinal center line of the strip 41 and the cord 51 generally coincident with the fold line 20 (the longitudinal center line of the closure). The strip 41 is positioned with its outer end edge located generally along a line extending between the right ends of fold lines 35 and 39, and, when its length is approximately half the width of the tube 1 as herein shown, it extends inward over and past the right end flap 17 approximately to the longitudinal (vertical) center line of the tube 1. The strip 41 is applied with the marginal portion of the second panel 41b which underlies the re-entrant portion 45 of the pleat between the re-entrant portion 45 and the end flap 17. Adhesive (paste) is applied to the first side flap 33 as indicated at 55 over an area for adherence to the strip 41, and adhesive (paste) is applied to the end flap 15 and the inside of the second side flap in a pattern such as indicated at 57 in FIG. 4. Then the first side flap 33 is folded over on fold line 35 to overlie the end flap 15 and the strip 41, and the second side flap 37 is folded over on line 39 to overlie the first side fiap 33. As a result, the first side flap 33 becomes pasted to end flap 15 by adhesive 57 and to strip 41 by adhesive 55, and the second side flap 37 becomes pasted to the first side flap 33 by adhesive 57. While the strip 41 is thus pasted to the inside of the first side flap 33, the strip is free of the end flap 17 to provide a valve at the right corner of the closure. Side marginal portions 59 and 61 of the strip 41 fold over with the side flaps 33 and 37, as appears in FIG. 7. A conventional pasted closure 63 is formed at the bottom of the tube 1.

It will be seen that the top closure, as completed, comprises the inwardly directed end flaps 15 and 17 and the first and second side flaps 33 and 37, the first side flap 33 being folded over on the end flaps and the second side flap 37 being folded over on the first side flap 33. The upper right corner of the bag constitutes the valve corner of the bag, and, at this corner, the strip of paper 41 overlies the end flap 17 and extends inward therefrom. Strip 41 is pasted (by paste 55) to the inside of the first side flap 33, but is free of the end flap 17 (there being no paste therebetween) to provide the valve. The first side flap 33 is pasted to end flap 15 and the second side flap 37 is pasted to the first side flap by paste 57. Strip 41 has the pleat 43 extending from one end thereof to the other, panel 41a of the strip (which is toward the left as viewed in FIG. 7) having its inner margin overlying the re-entrant portion 45 of the pleat between the first side flap 33 and the re-entrant portion 45. Panel 41b of the strip has its inner margin underlying re-entrant portion 45 between the latter and end flap 17. It will be understood that the valve may be provided at any corner of the bag, not necessarily the upper right corner, and the strip 41 provided at whatever corner constitutes the valve corner.

The tearing member or rip cord 51 extends lengthwise of the strip 41 from one end thereof to the other between re-entrant portion 45 and the inner margin of panel 41a, being secured to the strip by adhesive 53. The strip 41 and cord 51 have an end portion indicated at 65 in FIGS. and 6 at the valve corner which projects from underneath the side flaps 33 and 37 which is accessible for grasping to pull the cord to rip through the strip 41 and both the side flaps along a line extending generally centrally lengthwise of the top closure. With the cord 51 disposed between the inner margin of panel 41a and re-entrant portion 45, when the end of the cord is grasped and pulled, the tendency is that the cord be pulled up against the fold 47 to rip through the strip 41 along the fold 47 and then to rip through the first and second side flaps 33 and 37. This insures that the strip will be ripped, as well as the side flaps. Having the cord and the adhesive which secures the cord to the strip in the pleat prevents sticking of the strip to the end flap, such as would block the valve.

It will be understood that the term paste is intended to include all adhesives which may be suitable for securement of the closure flaps and the strip 41.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a bag made of paper or the like having a pasted closure at one end, said closure comprising inwardly directed end flaps and first and second side flaps, the first side flap being folded over on the end fiaps, and the second side flap being folded over on the first side flap, a strip extending inward from one corner of the bag between the respective end fiap and the first side flap, said strip being secured to the inside of the first side flap and extending lengthwise of the first side flap inward from said corner, and a tearing member constituted by a single straight length of cord secured to said strip on the inside thereof extending lengthwise of said strip, said strip and cord having an end portion at said corner projecting from underneath the side flaps which is accessible for grasping to pull said cord to rip through said strip and both said side flaps.

2. In a bag as set forth in claim 1, said strip having a pleat extending lengthwise from one end thereof to the other, and said cord being located in the pleat.

3. In a bag as set forth in claim 2, said cord being secured to said strip throughout its length by adhesive.

4. A bag made of paper or the like having a pasted closure at one end and provided with a valve at one corner at said end, said closure comprising inwardly di rected end flaps and first and second side flaps, the first side flap being folded over on the end flaps and the second side flap being folded over on the first side flap, a valve reinforcing strip overlying the end flap at said valve corner and extending inward therefrom, said strip being pasted to the inside of the first side flap but being free of the end flap at said valve corner to provide the valve, said first side flap being pasted to the other end flap, and said second side flap being pasted to the first side flap, and a tearing member constituted by a single straight length of cord secured to said strip on the inside thereof extending lengthwise of said strip, said strip and cord having an end portion at said valve corner projecting from underneath the side flaps which is accessible for grasping to pull said cord to rip through said strip and both said side flaps.

5. A bag made of paper or the like having a pasted closure at one end and provided with a valve at one corner at said end, said closure comprising inwardly directed end flaps and first and second side flaps, the first side flap being folded over on the end flaps and the second side flap being folded over on the first side flap, a strip of paper overlying the end flap at said valve corner and extending inward therefrom, said strip being pasted to the inside of the first side flap but being free of the end fiap at said valve corner to provide the valve, said first side flap being pasted to the other end flap, and said second side flap being pasted to the first side flap, said strip having a pleat extending from one end thereof to the other, said pleat being constituted by a re-entrant portion of the strip integrally joined at the fold lines of the pleat to first and second panels of the strip, the first of said panels having a marginal portion overlying the reentrant portion of the pleat between the first side flap and said re-entrant portion, the second of said panels having a marginal portion underlying the re-entrant portion between the re-entrant portion and the end fiap at the valve corner, and a tearing member extending lengthwise of the strip from one end thereof to the other between said re-entrant portion and said marginal portion of said first panel and secured to the strip by adhesive, said strip and tearing member having an end portion at said valve corner projecting from underneath the side flaps which is accessible for grasping to pull said tearing member to rip through the strip and both said side flaps.

6. A bag as set forth in claim 5 wherein the pleated strip is wider than said closure and has side marginal portions folded over with the side flaps.

7. A bag as set forth in claim 6 wherein the tearing member is constituted by a cord.

8. A bag made of paper or the like having a pasted closure at one end and provided with a valve at one corner at said end, said closure comprising inwardly directed end flaps and first and second side flaps, the first side flap being folded over on the end flaps and the second side flap being folded over on the first side flap, a valve reinforcing strip overlying the end flap at said valve corner and extending inward therefrom, said strip being pasted to the inside of the first side flap but being free of the end flap at said valve corner to provide the valve, said first side flap being pasted to the other end flap, and said second side flap being pasted to the first side flap, and a tearing member secured to said strip on the inside thereof extending lengthwise of said strip, said strip and tearing member having an end portion at said valve corner projecting from underneath the side flaps which is accessible for grasping to pull said tearing member to rip through said strip and both said side flaps, said strip being wider than said closure and having side marginal portions folded over with the side flaps.

9. In a bag as set forth in claim 8, said strip having a pleat extending lengthwise from one end thereof to the other, and said tearing member being located in the pleat.

10. In a bag as set forth in claim 9, said tearing member being constituted by a cord and being secured to said strip throughout its length by adhesive.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,120,629 Schunemann June 14, 1938 2,151,523 Orr Mar. 21, 1939 2,203,924 Pletscher June 11, 1940 2,583,669 Santina Ian. 29, 1952 2,830,750 Weeks et a1 Apr. 15, 1958 

